maintenance_evolution.Rmd

---
aliases:
  - evolution.html
---

# Package evolution - changing stuff in your package {#evolution}

```{block, type="summaryblock"}
This chapter presents our guidance for changing stuff in your package: changing parameter names, changing function names, deprecating functions, and even retiring and archiving packages.

_This chapter was initially contributed as a tech note on rOpenSci website by [Scott Chamberlain](https://github.com/sckott); you can read the original version [here](https://ropensci.org/technotes/2017/01/05/package-evolution/)._
```

## Philosophy of changes {#philosophy-of-changes}

Everyone's free to have their own opinion about how freely parameters/functions/etc. are changed in a library - rules about package changes are not enforced by CRAN or otherwise. Generally, as a library gets more mature, changes to user facing methods (i.e., exported functions in an R package) should become very rare. Libraries that are dependencies of many other libraries are likely to be more careful about changes, and should be.

## The lifecycle package {#the-lifecycle-package}

This chapter presents solutions that do not require the lifecycle package but you might still find it useful.
We recommend [reading the lifecycle documentation](https://lifecycle.r-lib.org/articles/stages.html).

## Parameters: changing parameter names {#parameters-changing-parameter-names}

Sometimes parameter names must be changed for clarity, or some other reason.

A possible approach is check if deprecated arguments are not missing, and stop providing a meaningful message.

```r
foo_bar <- function(x, y) {
    if (!missing(x)) {
        stop("use 'y' instead of 'x'")
    }
    y^2
}

foo_bar(x = 5)
#> Error in foo_bar(x = 5) : use 'y' instead of 'x' 
```

If you want to be more helpful, you could emit a warning but automatically take the necessary action:

```r
foo_bar <- function(x, y) {
    if (!missing(x)) {
        warning("use 'y' instead of 'x'")
        y <- x
    }
    y^2
}

foo_bar(x = 5)
#> 25
```

Be aware of the parameter `...`. If your function has `...`, and you have already removed a parameter (lets call it `z`), a user may have older code that uses `z`. When they pass in `z`, it's not a parameter in the function definition, and will likely be silently ignored -- not what you want. Instead, leave the argument around, throwing an error if it used.

## Functions: changing function names {#functions-changing-function-names}

If you must change a function name, do it gradually, as with any other change in your package.

Let's say you have a function `foo`.

```r
foo <- function(x) x + 1
```

However, you want to change the function name to `bar`.

Instead of simply changing the function name and `foo` no longer existing straight away, in the first version of the package where `bar` appears, make an alias like:

```r
#' foo - add 1 to an input
#' @export
foo <- function(x) x + 1

#' @export
#' @rdname foo
bar <- foo
```

With the above solution, the user can use either `foo()` or `bar()` -- either will do the same thing, as they are the same function.

It's also useful to have a message but then you'll only want to throw that message when they use the old function, e.g.,

```r
#' foo - add 1 to an input
#' @export
foo <- function(x) {
    warning("please use bar() instead of foo()", call. = FALSE)
    bar(x)
}

#' @export
#' @rdname foo
bar <- function(x) x + 1
```

After users have used the package version for a while (with both `foo` and `bar`), in the next version you can remove the old function name (`foo`), and only have `bar`.

```r
#' bar - add 1 to an input
#' @export
bar <- function(x) x + 1
```

## Functions: deprecate \& defunct {#functions-deprecate-defunct}

To remove a function from a package (let's say your package name is `helloworld`), you can use the following protocol:

- Mark the function as deprecated in package version `x` (e.g., `v0.2.0`)

In the function itself, use `.Deprecated()` to point to the replacement function:

```r
foo <- function() {
    .Deprecated("bar")
}
```

There's options in `.Deprecated` for specifying a new function name, as well as a new package name, which makes sense when moving functions into different packages.

The message that's given by `.Deprecated` is a warning, so can be suppressed by users with `suppressWarnings()` if desired.

Make a man page for deprecated functions like:

```r
#' Deprecated functions in helloworld
#' 
#' These functions still work but will be removed (defunct) in the next version.
#' 
#' \itemize{
#'  \item \code{\link{foo}}: This function is deprecated, and will
#'  be removed in the next version of this package.
#' }
#' 
#' @name helloworld-deprecated
NULL
```

This creates a man page that users can access like ``?`helloworld-deprecated` `` and they'll see in the documentation index. Add any functions to this page as needed, and take away as a function moves to defunct (see below).

- In the next version (`v0.3.0`) you can make the function defunct (that is, completely gone from the package, except for a man page with a note about it).

In the function itself, use `.Defunct()` like:

```r
foo <- function() {
    .Defunct("bar")
}
```

Note that the message in `.Defunct` is an error so that the function stops whereas `.Deprecated` uses a warning that let the function proceed.

In addition, it's good to add `...` to all defunct functions so that if users pass in any parameters they'll get the same defunct message instead of a `unused argument` message, so like:

```r
foo <- function(...) {
    .Defunct("bar")
}
```

Without `...` gives:

```r
foo(x = 5)
#> Error in foo(x = 5) : unused argument (x = 5)
```

And with `...` gives:

```r
foo(x = 5)
#> Error: 'foo' has been removed from this package
```

Make a man page for defunct functions like:

```r
#' Defunct functions in helloworld
#' 
#' These functions are gone, no longer available.
#' 
#' \itemize{
#'  \item \code{\link{foo}}: This function is defunct.
#' }
#' 
#' @name helloworld-defunct
NULL
```

This creates a man page that users can access like ``?`helloworld-defunct` `` and they'll see in the documentation index. Add any functions to this page as needed. You'll likely want to keep this man page indefinitely.

### Testing deprecated functions {#testing-deprecated-functions}

You don't have to change the tests of deprecated functions until they are made defunct.

- Consider any changes made to a deprecated function. Along with using `.Deprecated` inside the function, did you change the parameters at all in the deprecated function, or create a new function that replaces the deprecated function, etc. Those changes should be tested if any made.
- Related to above, if the deprecated function is simply getting a name change, perhaps test that the old and new functions return identical results.
- [`suppressWarnings()` could be used](https://community.rstudio.com/t/unit-testing-of-a-deprecated-function/42837/2) to suppress the warning thrown from `.Deprecated`, but tests are not user facing, so it is not that bad if the warning is thrown in tests, and the warning could even be used as a reminder to the maintainer.

Once a function is made defunct, its tests are simply removed.

## Archiving packages {#archivalguidance}

Software generally has a finite lifespan, and packages may eventually need to be archived. Archived packages are [archived](https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/archiving-a-github-repository/archiving-repositories) and moved to a dedicated GitHub organization, [ropensci-archive](https://github.com/ropensci-archive). Prior to archiving, the contents of the README file should be moved to an alternative location (such as "README-OLD.md"), and replaced with minimal contents including something like the following:

```md
# <package name>

[![Project Status: Unsupported](https://www.repostatus.org/badges/latest/unsupported.svg)](https://www.repostatus.org/#unsupported)
[![Peer-review badge](https://badges.ropensci.org/<issue_number>_status.svg)](https://github.com/ropensci/software-review/issues/<issue_number>)

This package has been archived. The former README is now in [README-old](<link-to-README-old>).
```

The repo status badge should be "unsupported" for formerly released packages, or "abandoned" for former concept or WIP packages, in which case the badge code above should be replaced with:

```md
[![Project Status: Abandoned](https://www.repostatus.org/badges/latest/abandoned.svg)](https://www.repostatus.org/#abandoned)
```

An example of a minimal README in an archived package is in [ropensci-archive/monkeylearn](https://github.com/ropensci-archive/monkeylearn/blob/master/README.md). Once the README has been copied elsewhere and reduced to minimal form, the following steps should be followed:

- [ ] Close issues with a sentence explaining the situation and linking to this guidance.
- [ ] Archive the repository on GitHub (also under repo settings).
- [ ] Transfer the repository to [ropensci-archive](https://github.com/ropensci-archive), or request an [rOpenSci staff member](https://ropensci.org/about/#team) to transfer it (you can email `info@ropensci.org`).

Archived packages may be unarchived if authors or a new person opt to resume maintenance. For that please contact rOpenSci. They are transferred to the ropenscilabs organization.